Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s address at third Billionth Meal commemoration by Akshaya Patra Foundation in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
Ladies and gentlemen,
I apologize for arriving late. First of all I greet you all from the land of Leeladhar Balagopal Nandlal.
Today we are going to witness to this grand and sacred occasion in the soil of Braj that has been a witness to the 'Leelas of Lord Krishna. I wish to recite a shloka from Bhagvat Gita before you. Lord Krishna had said -
दातव्य मिति यद्दानम् दीयते नुपकारिणे ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्॥
It means that a donation that is made as a duty without expecting anything in return and if that donation is made at the right place, right time and to the apt person is known as Satvik daan or a virtuous donation.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been doing this virtuous task of providing nutritious food to the children of the country for the past 18 years. My best wishes to you for this work!
Friends,
Just in a short while from now, I will get the opportunity to serve food to these children. Of all the meals that will be served, one plate will be the three billionth one. Just as Mohandas ji was saying, this campaign had started with 1500 children and today 17 lakh children have been linked to nutritious food.
I am extremely delighted that all of you had served the first meal during the tenure of revered Atal ji. Today I have got the opportunity to serve the three billionth one.
Friends,
The work that you are doing is extraordinary. It is an extraordinary service that you are rendering. This dedication is unparalleled. It is an extension of those values that our thousands of years old traditions have granted us. I know that service and dedication are not for obtaining any honour or award. However, recently the nation has given a major recognition to your efforts.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been conferred with the Gandhi Peace Prize for providing Mid-day meals to lakhs of children. Besides, Swami Madhupundit Das ji has also been honoured with the Padmashri Award. I congratulate all of you for this.
Friends,
This tradition of mid-day meal has started prior to independence. India's circumstances were one of the reasons for this. Due to the long period of slavery, there was a lack of resources, poverty was at its peak and we had to struggle to provide livelihood to the people. The most negative impact of the situation was on the children. Now under changed circumstances, adequate, nutritious and good quality food is being ensured for the children. All the people working with Akshaya Patra Foundation, the cooks, and the people delivering and serving food are helping the nation.
Friends,
Just as a strong foundation stone is essential to have a strong building, similarly, a well-nourished and a healthy childhood is essential for a strong New India. If the nation's childhood remains weak, then its pace of development will slow down. If we pay attention to the nutrition of a child before birth and right after birth and if we improve the immunity levels to fight against the diseases, then there will be lesser number of health related issues later in life.
It has been said in the Bhagvat Gita :-
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा॥
It means that one who has a balanced diet, habits and behaviour, one who has a timed sleep pattern; all his miseries end with meditation. Carrying this spirit forward, in the last 55 months, the central government has emphasized upon the nourishment of mothers and children for providing a healthy life to the children.
Friends,
The central government has worked in a comprehensive way to provide nutrition to the children. Efforts have been made to secure the childhood. There are three aspects of this security cover - an important aspect of nutrition, nutritious food; immunization and hygiene. I am glad that all the partners associated with the Akshay Patra are pushing the government's efforts to strengthen this security cover.
Friends,
There is a direct link between health and nutritious food. If we succeed in just taking the nutrition programme to every mother and child, then several lives will be saved. With this very idea, our government launched the Poshan Mission throughout the country last year from Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district. Keeping in view the seriousness of this mission, the month of September last year was dedicated to nutrition.
Friends,
Whether it is nutrition, sanitation or immunization; it is not that nobody thought about these things before. Numerous programmes have been going on covering these aspects since independence; but without much success. Even smaller countries with lesser resources have left us behind in this area. In order to come out of this situation, we have started a different strategy since 2014. We decided to work on immunization programme on mission mode. Under Mission Indradhanush, we decided to reach out to every child of the country.
Friends,
Under this mission, so far about 3 crore 40 lakh children and about 90 lakh pregnant women have been immunized in the country. The speed at which the work is progressing shows that our goal of universal immunization is not far away.
Friends,
We have not only expedited the immunization programme but have also increased the number of vaccines. Five new vaccines have been added to the previous programme which includes the one against Japanese Encephalitis and a few areas of Uttar Pradesh are extremely prone to this disease. Now a total of 12 vaccines are being given to the children.
I am glad that Mission Indradhanush and other efforts of India are being appreciated around the world. Recently, a famous Medical Journal has selected this programme as one of the 12 best practices of the world.
Friends,
Be it Mission Indradhanush or assistance of Rs.6000 being provided to pregnant mothers for nutritious food under Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, these will protect the new born babies and the mothers during pregnancy from life threatening diseases.
Friends,
One important aspect of children's protective cover is cleanliness. Unhygienic conditions in particular prove to be fatal for the children because they are compelled to live in such an environment. Children below 5 years of age are prone to diarrhoea. We have taken the responsibility of eliminating this danger through Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. According to an international report last year, it has been estimated that just with the help of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and using toilets, the lives of about 3 lakh people can be saved. This is the power of sanitation that is giving a new lease of life to the poor for free.
Yogi ji was telling me that this time Kumbh will be known for cleanliness. There is a specialty of Kumbh for centuries. It is considered as a special occasion for sending out a social message. This year, Kumbh has succeeded in sending out the message of cleanliness to the country. In general, the newspapers around the world and within the country talk about the sages and the Naga Sadhus when it comes to Kumbh Congregation. But for the first time, New York Times has reported about the cleanliness of the Kumbh Congregation.
I have been told that the Akshaya Patra Foundation has also started a campaign of 'Clean Students, clean schools and clean houses' to create awareness on sanitation in schools. My best wishes to you for this yet another sacred work.
Friends,
Earlier, when it came to the health and nutrition of a child, the mother's pain and problems were ignored.
In a poor family that lack resources, a mother is faced with deprivation. She also had to fight against the smoke for her family. Attempts have been made to change this situation during the past four and a half years. Under the Ujjwala Yojana, more than 6.25 crore gas connections have been provided to the kitchens of poor sisters and daughters across the country. In Uttar Pradesh too, free gas connections have been provided to 1 crore sisters. It is not only liberating the mothers and children from the health related issues due to smoke but also saving the time spent on collection of fuel wood and making dung cakes.
Friends,
There is another mother who is constantly nourishing our lives and the country's childhood. And I would like to offer my gratitude to her from the land of Gokul. This mother is our mother cow to whom at least all Indians are indebted for milk. Mother cow had nourished her Baal Gopal with milk, butter and curd in every possible way.
Friends,
Cows are a crucial part of our culture and tradition. They are also a significant part of the rural economy. In Mathura, there is a rich tradition of cow-service. The recent recipient of the Padmashri Award Sister Sudevi Dasi ji's life depicts the strength of our values.
Friends,
Carrying this spirit of Gokul forward, and for improving the health of the cattle, our government has started the Rashtriya Gokul Mission. In order to extend this, a decision has been taken to form a Rashtriya Kamdhenu ayog in this year's budget. Under this commission, a provision of Rs.500 crores has been made for mother cows and related rules and regulations.
Friends,
Now the doors of the banks have also been opened to help the cattle-rearing families. Just like crop loans, animal herders will also get bank loans up to Rs.3 lakh under Kisan Credit Cards. This will help our brothers and sisters engaged in animal husbandry. This step will also help in expanding the country's dairy industry. As the dairy industry expands, the animal-keepers will have greater income levels and will have a better livelihood.
Friends,
Apart from the animal-keepers, our government has also framed schemes for those who provide food grains to the nation, our farmers. The state that will benefit out of the PM Kisan Yojana the most is Uttar Pradesh.
This is because most of the farmers here have land of 1 or 2 Acres or less than 5 Acres. All such farmer families will receive Rs.6000 annually directly into their bank accounts from the central government. The farmer families will receive 3 installments of Rs.2000 each.
Friends,
Our farmers are generating a record produce. And dedicated workers like you all are strengthening the foundation of the country by providing food to the children.
I congratulate you for your efforts. These efforts exemplify the journey from 'I' to 'we'. This is an example of a journey from 'an individual' to the 'masses'. When 'I' becomes 'we', we start thinking about the society. When 'I' becomes 'we', the standard of thoughts is raised higher. The idea of collectivity makes one's nation, culture and heritage more important than an individual. This idea of collectivity is age-old.
Friends,
New India will strengthen these values of the nation. With each one’s contribution and for each one of us, i.e. 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' is the way to a New India. I congratulate you once again for your great service. I hope this spirit of service remains indelible. Thanks a lot!